6. Barrett
Chapter six
Barrett
Wow! How did I get so lucky? My jaw dropped when I heard the lady tell her there weren't any more rooms available, that we would have to share. I almost felt bad for her. Almost.
Before we went down to the help desk, I wasn't sure which way I wanted this to go. But now that we're here, this is the moment, and she's in my arms. I know this is what I've been hoping for since I met her, even if I didn't realize it until now. There is no way I'll be able to let her go, no matter what I told her.
When she’d looked at me, her eyes had filled with hope and longing when I told her we would figure out how to handle things after the cruise. What she doesn't realize is that I meant we will be together. When I first met her the attraction between us sizzled. She had told me that nothing would ever happen between us because she loves her job, and nothing would jeopardize it. I’d backed away instantly, but over the years that had become harder and harder. What she doesn't know is I would drop the PR firm so quickly if it meant that I would wake up every morning with her in my arms.
Today is the first day that she's even shown a dent in her armor when it comes to me. Meaning I'll have to show her we are meant to be while we're on this trip. Bottom line, no matter how hard it will be, I have to keep my cock in my pants. At least until she admits she wants me too.
Shaking away the perverted thoughts that keep wanting to play out in my head, I decide we should get out of here and go explore the ship. It would help her out, too. She needs to get out of her own head. "Let's go check out the boat," I say, kissing the top of her head.
Sarah sniffles one last time, then pulls away from me. She is gorgeous. Her hazel eyes are puffy and lined with red from her tears. I watch as she straightens her shoulders while smoothing down her shirt. She wipes away any tears that are left on her flushed cheeks as she tucks away the rest of her emotions right in front of me, putting the expression she normally wears back on. Plastering on a fake smile, one I'm sure she tells herself helps to make her feel better, she looks up at me and mumbles, "Ready?"
Letting out a grunt from my chest, I nod and gesture with my arms for her to lead the way. Did I just watch her put a fucking mask on? I do not like it. She will not put it on again around me. I want her to feel comfortable to be her true self in my presence. The fact she felt that she had to put it on just pisses me off. My eyes go straight to her ass, which helps to abate my anger as I watch it perfectly jiggle in her sweatpants as she leads us out the doorway.
I follow her with my eyes, never taking them off of her voluptuous backside until we reach the elevator. When she turns around, my gaze crawls up the rest of the body until I get to her face when she gives me a shy smirk, as if she knows that I've been checking her out this whole time. "Where should we go look first?"
Dragging my eyes away from her curvy body, I look her straight in her eyes, so she knows how serious I am with the next words out of my mouth. "Darling, I would do anything for you. For now, maybe let's just walk on the ship deck to see what it offers?"
Her shoulders relax with my words. "Sounds good," she says, while simultaneously pushing the button on the elevator. We both step on, and I press the button for the top deck as the doors close.
When the doors open again, I hear a little gasp leave her lips, and I can't help but agree. The Infinity Voyager is very impressive. Sean and Sarah's company went all out. Seeing it during the day was beautiful, but now that it's night, it's even more gorgeous.
Unfortunately for us, the day slipped away while we were trying to sort out the whole cabin confusion ordeal. Entwining my fingers with hers, I pull her out onto the deck. Both of us look up at the black sky that is riddled with twinkling stars. Neither of us says anything as we take in the beauty that surrounds us. I'm not a sentimental guy, but even I can see that we are on the cusp of something great here.
A sound from behind us brings me back to the present, and I promise myself that I'm going to come up with a plan before this cruise is over. "Shall we continue?"
She just nods and I casually lead us onto a path on the boat deck, marked by fairy lights above. People are all around us, engaging in their own conversations, but I don't see any of them. The only thing I can keep my focus on is the beautiful woman standing next to me.
Sarah suddenly stops when we come up to a water installation. Her fingers rub gently against the petals of the flowers as she whispers, "Look how beautiful the way they incorporated the plants into the decor of the ship is."
The flowers are in different colors as they litter the wall with a waterfall that slides down behind them. And damn, she's right. It's beautiful, but I can't seem to really care because the only thing I see is her.
We continue lazily down the path as we take everything in when Sarah's stomach lets out a loud noise. Her cheeks get so red as she drops her eyes to the ground, and I can't help but smile. Even though she's feeling embarrassed, I wonder how long she has been hungry for. Why did she not tell me?
Instead of letting her dwell on it, I do what any man should for the woman they want to take care of. "Should we go find something to eat?"
Before she can even answer, I'm already leading her down the path back into the interior of the ship toward the restaurants. I know I saw they had a sushi place, and my woman loves sushi. My woman, where did that come from? I like it.
Pulling her along, the idea of how she must trust me to follow and take care of her fills me with pride.
Once we make it to our destination, she stops us as she looks up at the restaurant? She looks between me and the building a few times. I can see her eyes have filled with unshed tears. What the hell happened? Why is she crying? "How did you know?" she whispers.
Furrowing my brows, I'm confused. What is she talking about? That's when a lightbulb goes off in my head. No one's ever taken care of her like this. Cradling her face in my hands, I lean down and rest my forehead against hers when I answer, "I pay attention."
She turns her head up toward me her lips brushing against mine. "No one has ever paid attention to me."
"Darling. You've had my attention since the moment I met you."